Game apparatus having playing board with marble receiving holes and dice receiving openings



United States Patent This invention relates to a game apparatus having playing board with marble receiving holes and dice receiving openings. The main objects of the invention are,

First, to provide a game apparatus which is adapted for use and is desirably used by four persons, but it may be used by one or more players.

Second, to provide a game apparatus adapted for use as above indicated which includes a dice for each player and has a fiat top surface which permits the playing of the dice thereon.

Third, to provide a game apparatus having these advantages in which the movable parts, including the dice, may be assembled as a unit for display or shipping.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a game apparatus embodying my invention with the movable marble members and the dice conventionally illustrated as in a cast position.

FIG. 2 is a corresponding view with one of the dice in played position and one of the marbles or movable members correspondingly moved or shifted from its initial position.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view on a line corresponding to line 33 of FIG. 1, the marbles being indicated in full lines.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view on a line corresponding to line 44 of FIG. 1.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated comprises a rectangular box-like outer body member 1 provided with upwardly projecting side walls 2, the structure being desirably square, as is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The.

outer body member 1 is desirably formed of cardboard or plastic and is relatively thin. The plate-like inner or second body member 3 is substantially thicker and is fittingly disposed within the side walls of the outer body member, the fit being desirably a frictional fit, although the inner body member might be otherwise retained in the outer body member.

The inner or second body member 3 has a planar topsurface and is provided with a central hole 4 and a plurality of holes, designated by the numeral 5, disposed in Maltese cross formation. The inner holes 6 are uniformly spaced from the central hole 4 and they are part of the reaches of the Maltese cross formation or location of the 'holes. The body member 3 also has a plurality of holes 7 disposed between the reaches of the Maltese cross formation holes and radially relative to the central hole 4. These holes 7 and one hole 8 of each Maltese cross series, in the embodiment illustrated, have distinctive coloring as is indicated in the drawing at 9. This distinctive coloring is indicated conventionally. The inner body member also has a plurality of diagonally disposed holes 10 positioned between the arms of the Maltese cross formation holes, as is clearly illustrated in the drawing, these holes being adapted to receive marbles or other movable play elements or members 11, the marbles being colored or shaded, as is conventionally illustrated, to correspond to the sets of colored openings 7 and 8. This coloring is conventionally illustrated in the drawings. It is desired to point out, however, that in commercial practice the coloring is desirably placed on the inner surface of the outer body member, and it is obvious that such a coating is too thin to be accurately illustrated, and in the drawing it is shown as extending into the bottoms of the openings. The bottoms of these diagonally positioned openings are colored to correspond to an adjacent set of colored openings 7 and 8.

The inner body member is provided with notches 12 in the corners thereof, which are dimensioned to coact with the corners of the bottom member side walls to provide sockets 13 for the dice 14.

A fragment of a cover 15 is illustrated in FIG. 3, this being telescopingly engageable with the side walls of the outer body member, and in the commercial embodiment is of transparent material and serves to hold the dice in their pockets or sockets; also the marbles in their seats 10.

In playing, the dice is taken from its pocket and played onto the face of the body member 3, as is indicated in FIG. 2, and the player may then move one of the marbles or movable members 11 according to the points on the dice. The rules for playing the game are not further stated, as they may be substantially varied. While marbles are highly desirable, the movable elements may be otherwise shaped, but should be colored to correspond to the coloring of the holes or sockets 7, 8 and 10. As stated, the drawings of FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the coloring matter as of substantial thickness, but in practice it is entirely practical to merely apply the coloring matter to the inside surface of the outer body member 1 in proper aligning relation to the openings of the inner body member which it is desired to distinguish by coloring.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practical commercial embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a rectangular boxlike outer body member having vertical side walls, a platelike second body member having a planar top surface fittingly disposed within said outer body member and having a central hole therein and a first series of holes disposed in Maltese cross formation, there being a plurality of holes in each reach thereof, said second body member also having a series of holes disposed radially of said central hole and centrally between and in parallel relation to the holes constituting the side reaches of the arms of said first series of holes, said first body member having distinctive coloring below said radial series and below the outer hole of one reach of each arm of the holes constituting the Maltese cross series, said second body member also having a plurality of holes disposed diagonally between the arms of said Maltese cross series of holes, sets of marbles having distinguishing colors thereon corresponding to the colors of said distinctive coloring for notchesin'its c'orners 'coacting with the walls of said outer body 'memb'er'to providedice sockets, and dice adapted to be supportedly positioned in said dice sockets or to be played on the surface of said second body member. 2. A game apparatus comprising a rectangular box-like outer body member having vertical side walls, a plate-like second body member having a planar top surface fittingly disposed within said outer body member and having a central hole therein and a first series of holes disposed in Maltese cross formation, there being a plurality of holes in each reach thereof, saidsecond body member also having a series of holes disposed radially of said central hole and centrally between and in parallel relation to the holes "constituting the side reaches of the arms of said first series of holes, said first body member having distinctive coloring below said radial series and below the outer hole of one reach of each arm of the holes constituting the Maltese cross series, sets of marbles having distinguishing colors thereon corresponding to' the colors of said distinctive coloring of said holes said second body member also having angular notches in its corners coaeting with the Walls of said outer body member't'o provide dice sockets, and dice adapted to be supportedly positioned'in said dice "seekers or to be playecl'onthe'surface of said second body member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/43 Quer'ness.

850,137 4/07 Collier 273-134 947,603 1/10 Steacy 273-136 1,044,309 11/12 Waldo 273-136 1,472,568 10/23 Scher 273-130 1,530,637 3/25 Anderson 273-136 1,683,860 9/28 Cahill 273-131 2,191,991 2/40 Lloyd 273-136 3,116,928 1/64 Wilde 273-134 X FOREIGN PATENTS 676,879 8/52 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner 

2. A GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR BOX-LIKE OUTER BODY MEMBER HAVING VERTICAL SIDE WALLS, A PLATE-LIKE SECOND BODY MEMBER HAVING A PLANAR TOP SURFACE FITTINGLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID OUTER BODY MEMBER AND HAVING A CENTRAL HOLE THEREIN AND A FIRST SERIES OF HOLES DISPOSED IN MALTESE CROSS FORMATION, THERE BEING A PLURALITY OF HOLES IN EACH REACH THEREOF, SAID SECOND BODY MEMBER ALSO HAVING A SERIES OF HOLES DISPOSED RADIALLY OF SAID CENTRAL HOLE AND CENTRALLY BETWEEN AND IN PARALLEL RELATION TO THE HOLES CONSTITUTING THE SIDE REACHES OF THE ARMS OF SAID FIRST SERIES OF HOLES, SAID BODY MEMBER HAVING DISTINCTIVE COLORING BELOW SAID RADIAL SERIES AND BELOW THE OUTER HOLE OF ONE REACH OF EACH ARM OF THE HOLES CONSTITUTING THE MALTESE CROSS SERIES, SETS OF MARBLES HAVING DISTINGUISHING COLORS THEREON CORRESPONDING TO THE COLORS OF SAID DISTINCTIVE COLORING OF SAID HOLES, SAID SECOND BODY 